Annotation

[1] ALS, CSmH.

[2] John W. Forney, anti-Lecompton editor of the Democratic Philadelphia Press, who had served as clerk of the House 1851-1855. Trumbull wrote that he had learned in New York of a move to make Forney clerk of the House, without any assurance from him that he would act with the Republicans, the idea being that he would bring enough anti-Lecompton Democrats with him to give the Republicans the speakership (DLC-RTL). Forney was elected clerk, and William Pennington, New Jersey Whig, was elected to the speakership on the forty-fourth viva voce vote.